Building strength in the upper back can lead to improvements in many different lifts, as well as increased shoulder stability and overall shoulder health. For younger athletes, incorporating upper back strengthening exercises that also involve core stability can be tremendously beneficial.
Pictured is Luke Church, 18 year old senior at Cheverus High School, demonstrating a barbell inverted row. This exercise targets the lats, rhomboids and rear delts while also placing demand on the glutes and anterior core to keep the body in line.
As a coach, be sure to add some sort of inverted row variation to groove the horizontal pulling pattern and building strength and stability to the upper back, shoulders and core.
K.W.